MorningStar Senior Living

Many seniors and their families fear senior living is too expensive but once you actually look into it, you may be surprised to discover it can actually be less costly than trying live on your own. At MorningStar Senior Living of Billings, we offer families a great deal especially when you consider all of the resort-style amenities and top-quality services we provide.

Another point of view regarding the affordability of senior living in Montana comes from a “Cost of Senior Care Survey,” which was published a few years ago by the largest senior referral website, A Place for Mom. It states the “eight most affordable states for assisted living — based on the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment — were, in order of least to most expensive, Montana, South Dakota, Idaho, Oklahoma, Mississippi, North Dakota, Indiana and Tennessee.”

To help ensure senior living is within reach of the Billings’ community, one of the jobs we take seriously at MorningStar of Billings is to help our families find resourceful ways to make senior living affordable. We help you explore a wide berth of innovative financial solutions and often under-used benefits that may be available to you beyond traditional retirement savings and investments.

If you have Long-Term Care Insurance, you will want to carefully read through your policy to determine what type of expenses it covers. You will find specifics regarding daily benefits, policy limits, and the elimination period under your Benefits Summary.​Another way we help families make senior living more affordable is let them know they may be eligible for often untapped Veteran Benefits. Please refer to our Veterans page for a full explanation of the generous “Aid & Attendance” Pension issued by the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

We remind seniors to think about leveraging life insurance policies or selling their home to pay for senior living. We also offer Companion Living, in which two unrelated people of the same sex may share a suite as well as expenses. This opportunity is available in independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Please visit MorningStar of Billings to learn more about our beautiful independent living, assisted living, and memory care community. Our website has a convenient link to inquire about pricing and availability as well as to set up a tour.

MorningStar Senior Living of Billings represents the finest in senior living with our unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest.” Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve in order to provide a true home for residents. Please schedule a tour to experience firsthand our comfortable, home-like atmosphere.

Several months ago, Medicare sent out a notification saying they would be issuing new cards to all Medicare recipients. The new cards started mailing in April 2018, and to meet the statutory deadline, all cards will be replaced by April, 2019. The schedule for delivery is based on your geographic location. Medicare explains that your new cards will not contain your Social Security number as a way to help protect against identity theft and prevent fraud. The new red, white and blue insurance cards will instead have a unique 11 digit number on them.

This is a good idea but we want you to be aware that Medicare has issued a warning to seniors to be on the lookout for fraudsters trying to exploit them. One way they are doing this is by posing as Medicare representatives and calling recipients asking for the 11 digit number from their card. Please Notethat Medicare states they do not and will not call recipients. They strongly advise against giving out your new number over the phone to anyone and remind recipients that Medicare only operates via the US Mail.

Furthermore Medicare asks that you help to get the word out by warning family and friends that they may be at risk for these scams. Reiterate not to give out any information over the phone to anyone claiming to be a representative of Medicare.

Your new card will automatically come to you and you do not need to do anything as long as your address is up to date. If you need to update your address, go online or give them a call. Also keep in mind that your card may arrive at a different time than your friend’s or neighbor’s as mailing takes time. Your Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same.

A power of attorney is simply a directive that names someone you trust to act as your agent in the event that you are unable to speak for yourself. A medical power of attorney, also called an “advance directive,” names someone to specifically act on your behalf in regards to any medical matters.

If you or a family member is suffering from Alzheimer’s or another dementia-related disease, it is important to have a medical power of attorney. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the kinds of medical decisions covered by a power of attorney for health care includes: doctors and health care providers, types of treatment, and care facilities. The designated medical power of attorney may also need to make some end-of-life decisions such as issuing a “do not resuscitate” (DNR) order or not consenting to a feeding tube when a person reaches the later stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

The website, WebMD suggests that a person entrusted to be your medical power of attorney should be someone “who is not intimidated by medical professionals and is willing to ask challenging questions,” They also add that the person needs to be able to put aside their own feeling about a medical option and be ready to carry out your wishes.

Drawing up a legal power of attorney for health care does not require an attorney, and if it is appropriate, the same person can be named as your financial and medical power of attorney. As forms are state-specific, be sure to use the right form for your state. Once you have filled it out, it will probably need to be witnessed, and in some cases may also need to be notarized. When you have completed the process, let your family and anyone else involved in your care, including your doctor and hospital, have a copy of the form.

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to serve, to invest.” We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting by creating a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Please contact us to set up a tour to see firsthand the finest assisted living in Centennial CO.​Sources: alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-legal-documents.aspwebmd.com/palliative-care/advance-directives-medical-power-attorney

It is especially important for older adults to make sure their paperwork is up-to-date and organized. This is necessary for not only your own wellbeing but so a family member (be sure to let them know where it is) can access the required documents in the event of an emergency. Your organization should include all financial and medical records as well as legal documents.

To help you get started, several websites offer downloadable forms including personal medical history forms. Update this form as needed to reflect changes in your or your loved one’s health and medications and include a family health history. Your paperwork should also include information regarding your Social Security benefits and Medicare.

Financial documents should include information on stocks, bonds, and mutual fund investments. You will also want to list all bank accounts and safety deposit boxes as well as credit card accounts. Include in your financial records any mortgage obligations and other liabilities and debts along with the deeds and titles to property you own. Don’t forget to add property tax information and your most recent tax return. In addition record the location of all of your valuables.

Your legal documents should include your Will, a Power of Attorney and an Advance Medical Directive. These documents cannot be signed by someone who is incapacitated so it is important to do it before the need arises. An Advance Medical Directive can include a Living Will that allows you to state the type of treatment you may or may not wish to receive if you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself. You may want to include a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care that allows you to designate a person to make decisions for you in the event you are unable.

At MorningStar Memory Care at Bear Creek, we offer 48 secure suites devoted to the individualized care for those with memory impairment. Please visit our website to learn more about our loving community and use our online form to setup a tour.

MorningStar at Bear Creek is a memory care community that uses progressive methods to palliate symptoms and revive joy. Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve, and is devoted to creating a true home for residents within a serene setting. Please contact us to schedule a visit to experience firsthand our loving community. ​Sources: stretcher.com/stories/15/15nov23e.cfmsageminder.com/Caregiving/CaregivingBasics/OrganizedCaregiver.aspx

While MorningStar at Jordan is proud to provide high-quality assisted living and memory care for seniors, we also provide our families with some lesser known services. One example is our Companion Living option that is designed for two unrelated people of the same sex to share an assisted living or memory care suite.

This is an ideal solution for those wishing to share expenses as the rent of the suite is split between the two residents as well as a way to build a lasting friendship. Even if you do not have someone in mind to share a suite, we will help you find a roommate and go to great lengths to match you with an individual who has common interests and similar background.

A roommate can also help to ease your transition to senior living. You and your roommate can look out for one another, and as you are familiar with each another’s habits and personalities, may be the first person to notice changes in health and abilities. Shared lives can help to boost health through improved sleeping patterns and an increased appetite. When you take advantage of companion living, you are still offered all of the personalized care and first-class amenities extended to our other residents.

We also feel privileged to have veterans as part of our community and when we hear of vets who are interested in our community, we are pleased to direct them to the local resources that can expertly handle their application process for “Aid & Attendance.” This is monthly benefit payments extended through the V.A. to certain wartime Veterans (and their survivors) with financial need and physician orders for regular assistance with the activities of daily living.

Please visit our website to learn more about these and our other programs designed to serve our seniors. Offering both assisted living and memory care, we are committed to giving our residents a lifestyle of comfort, wellness and community.

MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care at Jordan represents the very best in senior living with our distinct mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest.” We are dedicated to providing a true home for residents amidst a beautiful, serene setting and a foundation built on honoring God, valuing all seniors and selecting staff with a felt calling to serve. Please schedule a tour to experience firsthand our comfortable, home-like atmosphere.

There are over 2,500 different federal, state, and private benefit programs available to older Americans throughout the country. Some are little known, but there may be programs that you are unaware of that could be valuable to you. A little bit of time and research on your part could make a difference in the kind of assistance you receive.

The National Council on Aging, a non-profit service and advocacy organization has the goal to improve the health and economic security of 10 million older adults by 2020. They provide a free service called Benefits CheckUp. It is a simple questionnaire that takes you through a series of questions, and then gives you a report on all of the benefits you may qualify for, and even has the forms that you will need to apply. Most of the programs can be applied for either online or by printing an application and mailing. They offer help with the cost of rent, prescription drugs, healthcare, utilities, food as well as other services.

There are a few different ways you begin the process. There is one questionnaire that is for those that are in the greatest overall need, and then there is another set of questions for those that require help mainly with prescription drugs or food. They have a list to look over before you get started on everything you will need to answer the questions (date of birth, income, current insurance/programs, household size, etc.). You can fill it out for yourself or for someone else.This site is full of useful information that is safe, reliable, and available. If you or your loved one is in need of some assistance, please check it out to see if there is something for you.MorningStar at Arrowhead represents the best in senior living with a unique mission statement “to honor, to value, to invest.” We have built our foundation on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve to create a true home for residents amid a beautiful, serene setting. To experience firsthand the finest senior living in the Phoenix area, contact us to schedule a tour.

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MorningStar Senior Living’s distinct mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living options. Our foundation is built on honoring God, valuing our seniors and hiring staff with a felt calling to serve.